The Un-landed Everything

Chapter 5

It was the last synchronized skating practice before Regional’s, and I was already a mess. I woke up with a stuffy nose, red eyes, and my hair a disaster. I couldn’t miss practice I was team captain I can’t let my team down (that’s what I think to motivate myself into getting up in the morning). Plus after synchronized, I have competitive training, and then after that freestyle ice. I always love freestyle ice on Saturdays, I have no lesson so I get to practice by myself and skate to the songs on the iPod.

~

I ended up being one minute late to practice, but most of the girls were still warming up so at least it didn’t seem like I was late. As usual Raquel was glaring at me, but I don’t mind. She’s just jelous.

“Gather around girls, we have a lot of work to do in such short time!” Coach Jennifer shouted from across the ice.

Once we were all gathered around Coach she began giving us her morning pep talk. I love Coach’s pep talks; they are like my Saturday morning coffee. It gets me going and ready to train. As for everyone else…they stand there staring at the ice. I think Kasey and Rowan enjoy them a little its heard to tell. At least they aren’t just staring at the ice.

“We have a lot to do, we are going to perfect this program!” Coach exclaimed ending her pep talk.

“Um. Shouldn’t you have said ‘the programs’ instead of ‘this program’?” asked Rowan. “Because, we have two programs, our long and short.”

“Ah yes. Thank you for mentioning that Rowan, I have decided we are only competing our short program at Regional’s,” Coach replied. “I have noticed a few of you are struggling with the long program,” she added, glancing up at Raquel, Sabrina, and Tennley. The whole team, even Coach Jennifer has had suspicions they are trying to sabotage the programs, by ‘struggling’ with the footwork. How rude. “Anyway, forget that. We have a lot of work to do. Come on get into your starting position for the short program, we will do it with the music first, and see which parts need perfecting.”

The program was going smoothly until the spiral line. Raquel stands at the front of the spiral line, so she basically stops us from crashing. Sure enough she ‘tripped’ and fell, then down went Rowan, Maggie, Olivia, Kasey, Taylor, and then me. A few of the other girls were lucky to survive the crash, but poor Maggie’s knee was scraped really badly by Olivia’s blade. I was fine just a little bruised, the most un-injured was Raquel, since it was a complete intentional fall, so she got up immediately then went over and giggled with Tennley, and Sabrina about Maggie.

Coach stopped the music and skated over, to check if everyone was okay. Maggie was yet to get up so I rushed over to help. The poor girls knee had more blood than I had ever spewed in a lifetime (okay well maybe not that much blood, but there was a lot). Coach noticed Maggie was the only actually injured skater and rushed over to help too.  Then Coach stood up, and glared over a t Raquel.

“OUT!” she shouted unexpectedly. “IM TIRED OF YOU SABATOGING THIS TEAM!”

“BUT…I FELL! IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!” Raquel shouted back.

“That wasn’t an accidental fall. You fell on purpose.”

“What makes you say that…” Raquel stuttered, in a voice that totally gave away the fact the fall was fake.

“OUT!” Coach shouted again. “YOU ARE SUSPENDED FOR FIVE PRACTICES, AND REGIONAL’S!”

“But…” Raquel tried.

“NO EXCUSES!”

Once Raquel figured out she had no excuses, she stormed off the ice embarrassed and mad at the same time. As she fled into the lobby Sabrina and Tennley, watched in shock as their queen left them. I have to admit I was shocked to, I mean Coach kicking a girl out the last practice before Regional’s. Wow.

Once I realized Maggie was still sitting on the ice, I spun around and sat by her side. Coach examined her knee some more, than realized she had to be taken to the hospital. So she cancelled the rest of practice and rushed Maggie away.

~

Coach Jennifer came back about three hours later, in the middle of freestyle ice. I was skating to the song Titanium by David Guetta on my IPod, when Kasey rushed over saying Coach Jennifer was in the lobby, and wanted to talk to the team. I quickly stuffed my ear buds in my back pocket with my IPod, and rushed off the ice with Kasey.

Coach Jenifer was sad. I could tell from the look in her eyes. They were drained from their bright green color, and they kept drifting away when she was talking to someone.

Once we were all gathered together she took us back to the locker to hold a team  meeting.

“Maggie…split open her knee. She is getting stitches right now, as a matter of fact.” Coach lowered her head. “She won’t be performing at Regional’s with us.”